Every family has their dream houses, two bedrooms, and one guest room on the second floor while a living room, dining room, and kitchen on the first floor. Simple, realistic, and attainable. But beyond these parameters, there are still other things to consider, like its accessibility, if it is disaster risk-free, the design of the house, the developer who created the residence, and lastly, the budget.

Sometimes you get the right area but not accessible, or sometimes you get the other things, but the problem is the location - flood-prone section. So, it's hard to find a nice place to settle down. Also, there is a debate between living in rural or urban areas. Honestly, I grew up in the city, and living in rural areas seems more like a dream for me.

When the virus started to spread throughout the world, and when the World Health Organization declared it a global pandemic, things begun to sink into me. There are things that I realized this pandemic. People need to have their own houses. Imagine the things that happened to families who rented during the pandemic? No work and no source of income, and no way to pay for rent. Though there was a directive from the President not to charge renters of their monthly fee while in quarantine, still, people need to live to earn a living.

Before the pandemic, I remember having a chat with some of my friends who have worked abroad. Accordingly, there were real estate brokers or companies here in the Philippines who let their employees stay abroad for quite some time to encourage Overseas Filipino Workers to invest in real estate. It's one good way to save their hard-earned money. Since most OFWs couldn't file all the documents, it is easier for them to go through brokers or agents. Though I didn't work abroad, I think the idea of coordinating with brokers or agents is much better nowadays. Safer and practical, though I know they would bill you for a higher rate.

Of course, the hopeful in me read that this year is the best time to invest in real estate because the prices have slowed down. I was able to browse it on the news that, according to Lobien Realty Group, 2021 is the best time to invest in real estate. Though there is still a pandemic, it is still good news because vaccines are rolling out already. So, there's a good chance of making the industry and economy of the country work again. 

Okay, so there's a better chance for our family to have our dream house. I think I can check with hubby from different banks about the possibility of mortgaging. There is a precise way to fully understand budgeting and expenses when it comes to computing mortgages. You can easily find your local banks like Security Bank, BDO, or BPI. They have this online calculator. I'm sure you'll get a not-so-good impression with their mortgage calculators. It is not as detailed as the one I saw on the internet, like the one from MortgageCalculator.UK provides. So, from its extension, it is from the UK. You'll have to be imaginative in using it. Just pretend that the Pound money sign is in the Philippine Peso money sign. I tried using some other online mortgage calculators, but this one is interesting because it gives you a listing of the amounts you'll need to pay, whether monthly or yearly. It is a reliable listing for your monthly or annual payments.

Okay, finally, you get a hold of the computation. And probably have computed the total expenses that you'll be incurring. But there's another problem for a mom, like me, who's dreaming of having a family house - employment. As of the moment, there's a scarcity on availability of jobs. I have been trying to get a job since last year, but none of them responded. If there was, it was not a fit or too risky.

I think the forecast made by Lobien Realty Group was accurate, probably for business owners and individuals with a good source of income. But for a regular family who's still wondering if there will be work to earn a living, it is maybe a different story.